5 Centimeters per Second (2007)
Makoto Shinkai’s most beautiful animation.
Presentation:
This is one of the most beautiful animations of all time. There are other future works from him with unprecedented clarity and image fidelity, but the art, background and painterly rendering transcends above them all. It has similar themes and tones of fateful love from his other films, but it is much more restrained and grounded here. Garden of the Words is also equally gorgeous. but the landscape is less vast compared to the stunning imagery and dreamy environments here. Ultimately it is the story that makes this his best film, which is painfully touching and realistic, making us long for love in the most poignant way possible.
Conclusion:
This has a less mainstream and colder tone than Garden of the Words, which has a more memorable musical climax. However the emotional impact for this one is so much stronger and sticks with you long after. The only problem is the film is too short at only 40 minutes, it’ll end leaving you wanting so much more. It nearly feels incomplete, but sometimes that’s what makes the longing even more potent. A genuinely beautiful experience.
Recommendations
Some asses are better than people.